Melting pot discharge valve operating means



. 16, 1941. J. T. RQGERS 2,266,081

MELTING POT DISCHARGE VALVE OPERATING MEANS Filed March 23, 1940 rawno I! 2 2 4 a w; x Z n 2 u ,1 30 a 3 a; w 1.1 a A INVENTOR.

4v-f v v ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNlTED stares rarest oririce j MEL'iI-NG POT DISCHARGE VALVE OPERAT- ING S Jay '1. Rogers, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application March 23, 1940, Serial No. 325,556

(Cl. 74 'te 4 Claims.

In type casting machines now commonly in use, difiiculty is experienced by reason of occasional breakage or distortion of parts of the mechanism provided for controlling flow of molten metal from the melting pot to the matrix.

The object of my present invention is to provide an improved valve-operating mechanism which may be readily adjusted and maintained in operative condition and free from liability of breakage under abnormal conditions.

The accompanying drawing is an elevation, in partial vertical section, of an embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing, It indicates a fragment of the melting pot adjacent its discharge nozzle H which is provided with an internal reciprocatcry valve, reciprocated by means of a bell-crank lever l2 actuated through a link It by means of another bell-crank lever which, in turn, is oscillated by a rotary cam 5 rotated in time relation with the matrix carrier (not shown). Lever i2 is spring urged toward closed position of the nozzle valve.

Except for the details of construction of the bellcrank lever It the above-mentioned mechanism is standard and well known construction where, if the pot metal becomes unduly sluggish in the nozzle and adjacent parts, attempted movement of the control valve to open position in the nozzle results in breakage or distortion of the valve, or of the extension 30 of the lever l2.

To avoid this difficulty, I substitute for the second bell-crank lever mentioned above, the bellcrank lever 14, the depending arm N5 of which, instead of directly contacting cam l5, as in present constructions, is provided with a roller carrier I1 pivoted at [8 on arm it and provided with a roller l9 which engages cam l5.

Arm I6, opposite the free end of roller carrier I1, is perforated at 2E and through this perforation is projected a pin the inner end of which contacts the free end of carrier ll. The outer end of pin 2| is threaded through a nut 22 carried by the free end of a spring 23 anchored at 24 on lever Id. The outer end of pin 2| is provided with a cross-slot 25 for the reception of a screw driver and threaded on the outer end of pin 2| is a check nut 25 abutting the outer end of nut 22. Between the inner end of nut 22 and arm I6 is a gauge washer 2? freely rotatable on pin 2|. Embracing arm IE and spring 23 at an intermediate point is a clip 28 provided with a set screw 29 which may be adjusted to bear more or less on spring 23 to adjust its resistance to flexing by cam l5.

A look nut 31 may be provided to hold screw 29 in adjusted position.

When the above-described lever 14 is equipped with parts as described above, the operator adjusts pin 2| in nut 22 to bring roller l9 into contact with cam l5 until lever M is swung sufficiently to shift the nozzle valve to open position, at the same time leaving washer 21 capable of turning easily but under a slight friction between nut 22 and arm !5 when set screw 29 is adjusted to give spring 23 the desired resistance. Washer 21 provides a convenient gauge by means of which the operator may determine the requisite adjustments.

When the parts have been so adjusted, rotation of cam l5, in its normal cycles, will intermittently exert pressure, through spring 23 upon the nozzle valve to drive said valve to opening position, but if, for any reason, there is an ondue obstruction to this valve movement, spring 23 will yield to an abnormal extent thereby pro tecting the entire train of valve actuating parts against breaking or undue distortion.

The provision of the bell-crank lever [4 of the present application, with its associated parts, produces decided advantages in the operation of the casting machine, including economy, improved castings, and longer life of thevital working parts of the caster. The spring arrangement eliminates breakage of the nozzle valve and its operating lever extension 30, and the provision of the swinging arm l1 and roller I9 reduces wear and friction between the cam I5 and the lever arm l6. Likewise, the device of my invention materially reduces the necessity for adjustments, which adjustments are necessary with the rigid set screw mechanism heretofore used, whenever the cold machine is heated up again for use, or whenever a change is made in the caster speed. Thus, with such a rigid set screw adjustment, it is absolutely essential to adjust the setting of the valve actuating mechanism whenever the speed of the caster is changed, for the variation in centrifugal force, as the speed of the caster is increased, would result in breaking either the nozzle valve or its operating rod. When the caster is equipped with the transmission mechanism of my invention, however, the spring 23 will yield, under such circumstances, to prevent breakage of the parts, even though no adjustment is made.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a bell-crank lever having an abutment spring associated with one arm thereof, the free end of said spring being movable toward and from said arm, a member carried by said spring and movable therewith transversely of said arm and adapted to receive a propelling force and to transmit the same through said spring to swing said lever, and means for adjusting said member relative to the spring transversely thereof.

2. As an article of manufacture, a bell-crank lever having an abutment spring associated with one arm thereof, the free end of said spring being movable toward and from said arm, a member carried by said spring and movable therewith transversely of said arm and adapted to receive a propelling force and to transmit the same through said spring to swing said lever, means for adjusting said member relative to the spring transversely thereof, and a washer freely movable rotatively and axially on said member in position to be frictionally afiected by the position of the spring relative to the lever.

3. As an article of manufacture, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, a leaf spring having one arm secured to said lever adjacent its pivotal mounting and having its other end free and disposed adjacent an end of one arm of said lever, a member carried by said spring adjacent the free end thereof and movable therewith transversely of said lever arm and adapted to receive a propelling force and to transmit the same through said spring to swing said lever, and means for adjusting said member relative to the spring.

4. As an article of manufacture, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, a leaf spring having one end secured to said lever adjacent its pivot point and having its other end disposed adjacent the end of one arm of said lever, a member carried by said spring adjacent the free end thereof and movable therewith transversely of said arm and adapted to receive a propelling force and to transmit the same through said spring to swing said lever, means for adjusting said member relative to the spring transversely thereof, and a washer freely movable rotatively and axially on said member in position to be frictionally affected by the position of the spring relative to the lever.

JAY T. ROGERS. 

